Intended for administrators and policy makers as well as teachers, this digest presents a selection of reactions to "A Nation at Risk," the report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The five parts of the digest discuss the five major recommendations of the ccmmission's report concerning curriculum, standards and…

Intended for teachers, this monograph argues that, unlike the structured, formulaic "school" essay, personal essays in the manner of Michel de Montaigne lead students to explore their connections with ideas and texts. The monograph describes several strategies which use writing as a tool for critical thinking. The monograph contains the…

Drawing upon research into the nature of the English writing system and about the development of spelling ability, this booklet presents an approach to spelling in which learning to spell is viewed as a highly complex intellectual accomplishment that develops over time and in conjunction with a student's experience with and knowledge of the…

Presents abstracts of documents reporting computer applications in reading and language arts. (AEA)

This digest discusses the need for differentiating language arts instruction for gifted students in grades K-8. It begins by describing differentiation approaches, including acceleration, depth, complexity, challenges, and creativity. It then explains how teachers can differentiate the language arts curriculum in the following five areas: (1)…

Presenting a wide array of Internet addresses and sample lessons, this fourth edition shows how teachers can integrate the Internet into their K-12 curriculum to actively involve students. The first section of the book (chapters 1-6) deals with the programs needed to use the Internet, as well as 100 great web sites for teachers, how to manage the…

Virtually every aspect of modern life has been changed and shaped by the computer's tiny, ubiquitous silicon chips. It is not surprising that computers have had a profound effect on the way students learn in the modern classroom. This topical bibliography and commentary focuses on how computers can be used to enhance the teaching of language arts.…

This Digest reviews studies that deal with use of newspapers in grades K through 12 and as part of the language arts or general curriculum, as well as other studies that examined specifically journalism student performance in secondary schools and beyond. It concludes that evidence from all these studies is decidedly positive when comparing…

Highlights 14 ERIC documents dating from 1987 to 1989 that are resources for using computers in the language arts classroom. Presents annotations for each document. (MG)

Most educational programs focusing on dialect differences are constructed to move speakers toward the standard variety of English. However, dialect study as language study in its own right introduces dialects as resources for learning about language and culture, with potential for language arts education. Systematic introduction of dialect…

This digest paper presents strategies and activities that can be used to encourage gifted students to develop their individual talents in the language arts. Suggestions for exploring poetic language especially free verse, include ideas for creating group poems and catalysts for creating individual poems. Suggestions for exploring the elements of…

This digest, based on a larger publication of the same title, offers a nine-step process for planning and implementing adaptations to instructional materials for students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Introductory material notes that adaptations should be approached as a short-term solution to increase access to the curriculum and…

This Digest argues that a well designed course of instruction can utilize motion pictures, television, and video tapes to channel a student's enthusiasm and route it to an academically useful goal. Sections of the Digest discuss what films and television offer to educators; potential applications in language arts classrooms; some other…

Noting that language minority and culturally different students are the fastest growing group of students in the public schools, this Digest offers practical strategies for language arts teachers to use when working with language-diverse students in the classroom and discusses some recent research on the subject. The Digest points out that…

This digest addresses the sometimes confrontational nature of decision making in the language arts. Pointing out that administrators are often thrust into the debate even when they do not want to be, the digest offers a set of principles for an educational philosophy that gives both the community and the learners a stake in the content and process…